A Small Change
by HpFreak20
Summary: <html><head></head>This revolves around a small change, that actually changed everything. For a little more, see the warning (chapter 1)</html>
1. The Warning

WARNING! THIS CHANGES SOMETHING THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING! HARRY IS GOING AWAY FROM THE DURSLEYS! HARRY ISN'T GOING WITH THE WEASLEYS!

THERE ARE SOME OR A LOT OF BASHING (I haven't decided yet) ON CERTAIN CHARACTERS. IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT, LEAVE OR IGNORE IT. DO NOT COMMENT, JUST GO FIND A BETTER STORY FOR YOUR PREFERENCES!

Warning, this story will have shorter chapters than my normal stories would.


	2. Albus, You Can't Send Him Back

In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependency on initial conditions in which a small change at one place in a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state. This theory, which was originally proposed by Henri Poincare in 1890, was a very deep concept. It stemmed down to saying that theoretical strings link everything together. It gets its name from thinking that, obviously indirectly, a butterfly could flap it's wings and cause a tsunami in Japan.

But, who is to say that doing something like tripping could cause so much. Well, apparently Henri Poincare can. Because, with this situation, tripping changes everything.

* * *

><p>It was Saturday, January 23 of 1988, Harry had been forced to go with his aunt Petunia clothes shopping. Dudley and Vernon were out splurging for things like sweets and things. After they were shopping, Vernon drove them all home. Harry was getting orders to put things away when they got inside. Harry had been walking around the back of the car when Dudley stuck his foot out. Harry tripped and stumbled out onto the road. The next sound was the deafening squeal of brakes being applied harshly. The person got out quickly and ran forward to check on Harry. She noticed that, since it was the middle of winter, that he no heavy clothes on. It was at least -5 degrees Celsius. It was really cold and Harry was in a large shirt that was like a tent on him. It was the only layer he had on, and the women who had almost hit him, noticed it with a disdain. Harry rubbed his head. "Ooh, you might have a concussion." the nice lady said helping him up. The Dursleys were trying to stop her but she insisted. She pulled out her bag phone and called the 999 number. An ambulance came shortly and took Harry in it. The nice lady followed it to the local hospital and the Dursleys, as Harry's technical guardians, were forced to follow.<p>

The doctor concluded it was not a concussion but he was going to stay because they had to fix broken bones that had been broken and had settled wrong. Arms, ribs, legs, fingers, toes, everything. The lady was in the waiting in the waiting room with the flustered Dursleys. The doctor came out and told all four of them what was going on. The nice lady was repulsed at the half guilty looks on the Dursleys faces. "Can I go and see the boy?" the lady asked.

The doctor glanced at the 'family.' Petunia pursed her lips, then nodded once. The doctor lead the lady back to Harry's room. He looked up when he came in, he smiled softly. "Hello ma'am."

"Hello." she said. She sat down on the bed, the doctor went to leave and she signaled for him to stay. He nodded and made it look as if he was checking charts. "I didn't get to ask your name." the woman said.

"Harry." he said, "Potter."

She nodded, "The bones, that were improperly healed, how did they break?"

Harry looked ashamed. "It's alright." the woman said soothingly.

"Well, my uncle, aunt, and cousin. They punish me if I don't do something right." he said looking away.

The lady and the doctor looked surprised. "You're uncle, cousin and aunt that did this are in the waiting room?" The lady asked.

He nodded sadly. The doctor walked over to the phone on the wall and called the police quietly. They came quickly and took the Dursleys into custody and recorded Harry saying what they did to him.

Harry was surprised when later, as he was sitting in the hospital room. A stern looking woman and a odd looking man came in. The man was wearing a purple cape like thing, with gold stars on it. The woman was wearing a green cape thing too, but she looked strict, but at the moment concerned. Both walked quickly towards him, he was all alone so they had to be in there for him.

"Good afternoon Mr. Potter." The old man with the pretty blue eyes, hidden behind his half moon spectacles. He had a long white beard and his eyes said he was old.

"Good afternoon." Harry said, knowing it could have been worse. He could be home, getting beat, or locked in his cupboard. A hospital, with a comfy bed, was definitely better.

"I bet you are wondering who we are." the man said.

Harry nodded. "Yes sir."

"I am Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts."

Harry made a face, "Are they sending me to a mental school?" Harry blurted out.

"No, my dear boy. Don't you know what Hogwarts is?" the concerned woman said.

"No ma'am. I'm sorry, I've never heard of it." Harry said.

The strict/concerned woman put a hand over her mouth. The old mans eyes lost their twinkle a little. "Well Harry, Hogwarts is called Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." he said.

Harry looked at him as if he was crazy. "But sir, magic isn't real." Harry said politely.

"Oh?" he asked as the bedside table caught on fire.

Harry jumped, "Wow." he said.

Dumbledore smiled, "And you will be going there, in almost 3 years."

"But, sir, I'm not special." he said.

"Harry, Harry." he said. "Have you ever done something that you couldn't explain why it happened?"

Harry nodded, "That is called accidental magic, which happens in young wizards and witches before they are trained, which is what goes on at Hogwarts. We train young witches and wizards to be successful in life."

Harry stared wide eyed them. "Wow." he said again.

The stand went out, unharmed. The old lady stepped forward, "I'm Minerva McGonagall." she said. "Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts."

"Nice to meet you." he said.

"Oh Albus." McGonagall said looking at Dumbledore, "What are we going to do with him? He can't go back with those Muggles."

Harry's face shifted at the word muggle, it was a confused face.

Dumbledore looked at him, "A muggle is a non magical person, like your aunt, uncle and cousin."

Harry nodded so Dumbledore looked back to McGonagall. "I'm not sure, what do you think."

She looked troubled, "I don't know, we can't just leave him with anyone." she said.

"I know." he said.

She looked at Harry. She saw how much he looked like his father. She had always thought of James and Lily like they were her children. She was so happy when they started dating, then she even got invited to their wedding. She looked at Harry and could just see the mash of the two, the face of his father and the crazy hair. The green eyes of his mother, and the politeness that both had, (James had it sometimes). She got that he had the potential to be really smart too. She pursed her lips, she leaned over to Dumbledore and whispered in his ear, "Do you think that I could care for the boy?"

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows, "I'm sure, that you probably could." he said. "You're house is well protected, and considering you won't let me give him back to the muggles. I'm sure with your knowledge and training, that would be acceptable." he said after careful consideration.

She let loose a smile and turned to her new ward. She sat down on his bed, "I knew your parents." she said, catching his attention. "Splendid witch your mother was, and a fine wizard for your father." she said. Then she let loose another smile, "He had a taste for trouble, though. Your mother, best of her age. Very good with her studies, and she had a temper that would send anyone running when it flared. Except your father, you look like him. But you have Lily's, your mother, eyes that your father, James loved so much." she ended.

Harry was intrigued. But saddened at the same time, they sounded extra ordinary, and yet a car crash killed them. "Where was their car crash?" he asked.

Both adults looked confused, "Car crash?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah, how my parents d-died." he stuttered.

"Harry, you parents didn't die in a car crash, they didn't even have a car." McGonagall said.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. "That's a story for another time." she said. "No, come on, we already signed you out."

Harry sat up straight and climbed out of bed, Minerva flicked her wand and he was back in his tented clothes. She frowned and flicked her wand again the clothes fixed themselves. He stared down at them.

"Wow." he whispered. She motioned for him to come closer and he stepped forward. She held out her hand and he winced. She was silently fuming and daring the muggles to cross he path. "Brace yourself." she said. Then she apparated with his hand in hers.

Harry doubled over and put his hands on his knees when they arrived. "I should have warned you." she apologized.

"It's fine." he said standing back up. He blinked when he saw where they were. It was a castle like structure. "Welcome," she said. "To McGonagall Manor. You'll be staying here, unless you'd like to go back with your muggle relatives."

"Thank you, but it might take me a while to clean." he said.

"Clean?"

He nodded, "I have elves for that, you don't need to clean."

"What about the cooking?" he asked looking up at her.

"No, they do that too!" she said. "All you have to do is follow the rules I set, and do what I tell you too."

"Alright." he said. "Thank you ma'am."

"And you can start by calling me something other than ma'am." she said with a small smile.

"Then what should I call you?" he asked.

"Knowing your parents, I'm sure you can come up with something."

"Minnie?" he asked as they started to walk forward. She smiled, "You're father always tried calling me that. I'm sure that would be fine."

He smiled, having thought the same thing his father had.

She spent the rest of that afternoon showing him around the house. She let him pick a room and he picked one. She almost cried when he asked about why he wasn't sleeping under the stairs or in a cupboard. That was when she made him pick a room, a big room.

After they picked a room she brought him into the main sitting room and explained everything she could to him and promised they'd go shopping soon. For clothes and furniture for his room and his magical things like robes and wands and things.

He was excited as he settled in the comfortable new bed and the soft blankets. The room was empty, but as far as he knew. She lived alone, so why would it have the nicest things in it. It wouldn't be seen or used so what was the point.

He wasn't thinking of that, he was thinking of the day. The nice lady who almost hit him, how he doesn't have to go back to the Dursleys. He won't be forced to cook or clean, and hopefully wasn't beaten. Plus now he knew the truth of how he got the scar and his parents death (she had explained that) and how Minnie had known his parents. She had promised that she would tell him all the stories she knew about his father and mother.

* * *

><p>Harry woke up the next day and immediately noticed he was in a comfortable bed for once. He stretched out and realized that he could, indeed stretch out. He could feel the light shining through his eyes, meaning he definitely wasn't in his small, dark cupboard.<p>

He blinked the sleepies from his eyes and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling. He remembered where he was with a bright smile. Away from the Dursleys, with someone magical, like him. Not to mention she was going to tell him about his parents. He sat up and looked around the empty room. He crawled out from under the warm blankets. Then he saw a pair of clothes appear on his bed. He grabbed them and started to change into them as they had a note on the top, 'For Master Potter' on it.

He watched as his cousin's old clothes caught on fire and then what really surprised him was his bed disappeared. There was a knock on the door and then it opened, "Oh good, you weren't on the bed when my conjuring gave out." she said. She didn't have a spare bed, so she had conjured that one to last the night.

She motioned for him to follow her and he followed her to the room where she had shown him was the dining room yesterday. They ate, having small conversations about what the agenda for that day was. After he ate the best meal he's ever had, by far, Minnie stood up. "We best go early, skip the big rush and get more done." she said. Now that she was home, she was a lot less stern. She had told Dumbledore that she'd be home that weekend a possibly longer, but she definitely would be at home after the classes were over. He had agreed, knowing that with her, he'd run out of options. She had told him they were the worse sort of muggles, and he ignored it. He was done, in her opinion, with taking care of Harry.

She smiled at Harry, he was obviously jumping. She walked out of the room, thinking of how maturely he had taken the whole 'Voldemort killed your parents' situation the previous afternoon. She felt bad though, he still didn't know why Voldemort was after him, she knew of the prophecy but not its contents. She also knew the story of Sirius Black. She hadn't told him about either of the two. She decided that maybe she would tell him before they go. People were bound to recognize him, so she figured he should know the facts. She entered the main sitting room and gestured to the seat. He sat down confused. She grabbed some floo powder from the pot above the fireplace. She said, "I'm making a floo call, watch closely because you have to travel this way, or maybe make a call someday." she said. Then she turned around through the powder in, said where she wanted to speak to and stuck her head in.

"Ahh, Hello Minerva. What is the pleasant nature of this call." the old man she suddenly wasn't fond of called out as he rose from his desk and strode over.

"I'm telling him about Sirius Black and the prophecy, meaning I must know the contents."

"My dear, don't you think it ought be best to wait, he is after all, just a boy."

"I'm telling him, tell me what you know Dumbledore." she said.

The strictness of her voice and the expression on her face said she was in no mood to argue and she was about a step away from coming in to his office to hex the daylights out of him. He sighed and told her what it said, the full contents. She nodded strictly, "Thank you, you will tell me more then, I can see you know more about him than you are willing to share." then without another word, she ducked back out. And a moment later she came through the fireplace. She strictly reminded him of one of the reasons she was hired. She could be very nasty with a wand.

Dumbledore was in a corner. With no way to avoid anything. He spilled. He told her about the horcruxes, and Harry's scar. Everything.

* * *

><p>She sat down in the chair next to Harry. "I didn't tell you everything there was to tell you about Voldemort killing your parents yesterday Harry." He looked up at her with a look of curiosity on his face.<p>

"Voldemort." she said swallowing, not used to saying the name. "Was not originally after your parents."

Harry turned his head to the side as she continued. "He was after you. Your parents however, were in his way. So he got rid of them." she said swallowing again, it still hurt her to admit they were gone. "He was after you, because as smart and as evil as he was, the self proclaimed Dark Lord was over confident and liked to eliminate any threats. Even one as foolish as a prophecy. See Harry, before you were born, a prophecy was made about 1 of 2 unborn children. It says, and I may need you to remember this, _The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..._"

He soaked it up like a dry sponge. "Wait." he said after a while, "You said 1 of 2 people."

"Well yes, it came down between you, and a boy named Neville Longbottom, who was born a day before yourself in that year. His parents, like yours, had already fought and escaped Voldemort 3 times."

"So Neville gets a happy life with his parents because Voldemort chose me?" he asked with a frown crossing his face.

"Not exactly." she said. "Not long after your parents were killed and Voldemort disappears, 4 death eaters tortured Neville's parents, Alice and Frank. Both of which were friends with your parents. The death eaters used another illegal spell like the one that killed your parents. It drove them into a state of insanity. They no longer recognize anyone, as if lost in their own head. So now Neville lives with his grandmother. Which would have happened to you, except your relatives were all dead except Petunia and your godfather was... untrustworthy."

"Godfather?" Harry asked.

"Yes, that brings me to the next topic." she said. "I'd like to start out with saying that for as long as I had your father, his best friend was always Sirius Black. The two were almost inseparable." she smiled remember the two of them together. "Sirius was the best man of your father's wedding and became your godfather." she said frowning slightly. "Now, I want to make it clear that your parents were under the best protection they could have been. A charm that made sure only one person knew where the house was, the secret holder was called the Secret Keeper. Only the Secret Keeper could tell anyone where the location of the house was. Without the Secret Keeper telling you where it is, you won't see it or feel it. You could be in it and not know it without the knowledge." she said. "Sirius Black became your parents secret keeper. Its said that everyone knew there was a spy among your father's group of friends. It came down between his 3 closest friends, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin. Well, considering what happened, we know now it was Sirius. He gave Voldemort the location of the house you three were staying in. After that, Peter Pettigrew tracked your godfather down and its said that Sirius-" she stopped to purse her lips, then she continued when she was in control of herself, "Hit Peter with a very big blasting curse. Which blew up Peter and 12 muggles, all they could find of Peter was his finger."

Harry, instead of being angry or upset or even crying, had a very confused look on his face. He remembered having a small lesson at school on plot twists. Then they had read a book that actually happened along those lines and it turned out to be the 'dead' friend who wasn't actually dead. "You said yesterday that my father was an illegal animagunus?" he tried.

"Animagus. But yes." she said.

"And his friends?"

"Peter was a rat, Sirius a dog, and Remus Lupin was actually a werewolf." she could tell they were considering she could always smell it on them.

He frowned, a rat normally was untrustworthy, and dogs were loyal. His young brain was soon forming an almost impossible story of how Peter would have lived and Sirius was innocent. "Did Peter say anything before he was hit with the curse?"

"Yes something along the lines of why would you betray james and lily Sirius?" she said very confused on his random questions.

Harry's story being supported even more, "Before my parents were killed-" he said clearing his throat, "Where was Sirius?"

"Well we thought he was living as a muggle but apparently he was with Voldemort."

"What about Peter where was he?"

"In his flat he was renting."

"Where?"

"At the Leaky Cauldron, the pub that we will be flooing to after this."

"Can we go now?" he asked.

She nodded. He stood up with a very determined expression. "That transportation that feels like my insides are being squeezed, that you used to get me here, what's it called?"

"Apparition." she said.

"Are their ways to track that?"

"Yes." she said.

"Does the Leaky Cauldron do that?"

"Yes, if I remember correctly, they have a record somewhere."

Harry let out a small smile and waited, "You will go first through the floo." she said looking at him oddly. "Just take some floo powder, throw it in the fire and step in. It's important that you speak clearly. Just say Diagon Alley."

He nodded and grabbed some floo powder. He threw it in and stepped in after it. "Diagon Alley." he said. Then he was gone. McGonagall stepped up quickly. She disappeared seconds later. She came out just behind Harry. She cleaned him off with a flick of her wand. He looked at her, "Can I go speak to the guy at the bar?"

She nodded and led him over. "Excuse me sir." Harry said looking up to Tom the bartender.

His eyes raised "My word its-"

"Don't." McGonagall warned. Tom looked up to her and nodded. "Hello, Harry Potter." he whispered.

"Hello sir, I was wondering if you have the record for before October 31st of 1981 for the-" he said waiting. "Apparition." Minnie said. Harry nodded, "Apparitions."

Tom raised his eyebrows then nodded. He walked away and then flicked his wand and it came over to him. He walked back and handed it to Harry. It showed who was going where and when and when they were coming back. "Can we borrow this for a little?"

"As long you bring it back." he said.

Harry nodded and Minerva lead him to an empty booth. "What is the Gaunt House?" he asked.

"According to Albus Dumbledore, the headquarters of the death eaters in the first war." she said.

Harry nodded, then he looked up with a triumphant smile. "Sirius is innocent." he said.

"What?" Minerva asked.

"Well, you said that an animagus is a representation of your inner soul, yes?" he asked, really tempted to say ma'am or to say it sharply. But he was living with her and she was really nice so he wouldn't.

"Well yes." she said.

"Sirius Black was a dog, a trustworthy animal. So trustworthy, my father trusted him with everything." Harry said, pausing to see if she rejected that. "Now a rat, less trustworthy, squeals easily, weak minded most of the time." he said. "I imagine he was always trailing behind all the time."

She nodded, seeing he had a point. "Plus if you were going to blow someone up, you'd want to hit them in the chest or the head. Meaning, you wouldn't find a finger, you'd find something bigger like organs or feet maybe a head." he said. "So, I was wondering if it were slightly possible that there was drain anywhere close to the explosion on that day."

"Yes, it got a bit wet when the curse it because of it." she said.

"Meaning it is completely possible that Peter could have been the secret keeper in secret, then when he was cornered by Sirius he turned into that rat and escaped down the drain."

Minnie looked at him, very surprised. "Did they ever have an actual trial for Sirius?"

"No I don't recall." she said.

"So it is possible that he is innocent."

McGonagall swallowed, "I suppose it is possible."

He smiled, "In muggle school we read a story like this, it turned out that the 'dead' friend did it because he wasn't dead." Harry said. "We did a nice lesson on it."

"I'm sure I could look into it more later." she said taking a mental note.

Harry nodded, "We better get going, lots to do." she said. they walked down to a place called, 'Mystical Movables.' She lead him inside and bought a nice desk, with a spinny chair. Then he picked out a nice bed with a fluffy mattress and really soft blankets. Then some shelves for books, a nightstand, a chest, a set of floorboards and a large, self measured, piece of carpet and some magic paint for the walls. Then some curtains to match the bedspread and then a dresser that matched everything else. She got them to be shrunken down and then paid for them. She put them in a bag and they walked down to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. They bought him some robes and normal clothes, lots and lots of clothes. She got those shrunken down too and then went around diagon alley, getting a bunch of nicknacks and chop skies for his room. Just things that make it look like his. They went home with a bunch of shrunken things.

* * *

><p>Harry, while thanking her profusely was 'helping' arrange the room. They got the elves to paint the room quickly, it was a nice maroon color. One she had directed him towards, he had liked it. She had steered him towards this, not only because it was Gryffindor but because Maroon is associated with healing and repel malevolent spirits. Knowing what she just found out, about having part of the world's most evil wizard in his head, she figured maroon would be good.<p>

Harry reached out and touched the wall, the paint looked wet and fresh, but it was dry. He withdrew his hand and watched as a clear layer overlapped the paint and then all but disappeared. He ran his hand over the wall, it looked ruff but was smooth. "I see you have discovered the elves put on a clear coat." she said with a tight smile.

He was in a small state of awe. "Well, I'd say you can't stand there and watch the paint dry, but it is already dry." she said.

Harry laughed, he turned around with the smiled of a goofy 7 year old boy. It reminded her so much of James Potter. "What do you want to start with?" she asked.

He looked around with a calculating look. "Remember, you and I will not be lifting anything so it isn't an inconvenience. We'll leave it up to magic to do the trick." she said.

He nodded, "The bed." he said. She looked in the bag and pulled out the mini version of a four poster bed frame. She levitated it to where he was pointing to. She re-sized it with a flick of her wand. The elegant bed frame stood there in full glory. It was a nice black maple bed. The posts elegantly twisted to the top and the back was all the same fine black color. All of the furniture was the same black color but the floorboards they had gotten were light wood colors. The elves had already had the floor down when they painted the walls. The room had stairs that lead up to a more than half-room over look, where the stairs were skillfully hidden. Standing up there, you could see who entered the room but they can't see you. They went up the stairs, that were leading to a fireplace that was painted black to blend in with the furniture from the lower part, it had beautiful carpet. It was a very soft and lightly colored to go with the wood floor. Harry decided that the desk would go up there with the fireplace. She grabbed the mini mattress from the bag. It was soon on the bed, the right size. Then she brought out the sheets and comforter. She re-sized them and let Daisy, the house elf who had fallen for Harry like McGonagall had, made the bed. That elf was the most comfortable around people, and definitely loved Harry already. Harry liked all the elves he'd encountered by Daisy was definitely his favorite. That elf did the fastest work and could actually keep up a conversation.

She pulled the matching curtains out that practically screamed that they went with those sheets, and that paint on the wall. They, like the sheets, were black. But you could clearly see they had gold strands woven into them. Not to mention the maroon edges.

Minnie smiled, he'd picked out everything on his own, and every part of it matched. The room looked magnificent when all of the furniture was in place. The perfect mixture of dark and light things, then the all but random gold things everywhere. If she hadn't known any better, she'd say James and Lily had worked together on something and designed it. She'd been in their house once, it was designed with the same furniture from what she'd seen. She watched as Daisy quickly put up the curtains that would cover up the glass sliding door that lead out onto his balcony. She quietly wondered if he realized what was on the balcony yet. They had gotten an armchair a couch and a loveseat for the dropped down space to put by the fireplace. And weatherproof chairs for his balcony. They walked out on the balcony and he saw what she'd been waiting for him to see. Not only did this room have one of the best views of the whole manor, but this was also the room closest to the pool. It had a magical waterslide down to the pool from the balcony. "No way." he said.

She smiled, they had gotten him some swimming clothes while shopping that day. They arranged the weatherproof furniture on the balcony and then went back inside. Harry looked around his new room. He thought it was perfect. The only thing he had left to do was further personalize it, and arrange his clothes in his dresser and closet.


	3. Black is Back

"I'll leave you to finish up." she said, glancing at the large piles of clothes he had to put away, "Unless you'd like help."

"No, I've got it." he said.

She smiled to herself and said, "I'll be back later and we can discuss what we are doing this afternoon." she said. Then she left the room. Harry roamed over to the piles of clothes. "Daisy?" The happy elf popped in. "Yes Master Harry Potter?"

"I was wondering, since I don't know which wizarding clothes are good enough to go on hangers, if maybe you'd help me with those."

She smiled, "Right away sir."

The two got together and arranged it. T-shirt's in one pile, arranged by color. Long sleeved shirts, arranged by colors, in the next pile. Then pants and shorts were arranged in the same way. Then the socks and undergarments, then the pajamas and swimming clothes and other necessities. All the robes, especially the dress robes, were arranged and put in the closet. Same with the shoes, she had bought him lots of shoes. The closet was so big, the dresser was actually in the closet. When that was done, he kindly dismissed the elf.

He went up, and then over to the desk in the one corner. It was a very nice desk. Black wood, like the rest of the room. It had locked drawers, and keys that made themselves hard to find by anyone other than the owner. Like they could be sitting on the desk, someone sees them and then they don't. They forget about them directly after seeing them, as if they no longer exist. Not to mention it was impossible to open with magic.

He spun in his black leather chair, looking around the top half of his room. One of the empty book shelves were up there, waiting like the others to be filled. You could see the fireplace as the fire crackled and popped. You could feel the warmth from there. The fire was past a couch, the couch was beside a armchair and a loveseat. In front of the couch was a coffee table, with a few cup coasters on it. Harry looked around the cosy space and then stood up. He proceeded to walk down the hidden stairs and to the main part of his room. He stopped and looked around.

There were empty bookshelves there, waiting to be filled with books and some random toys and things. A night stand beside his bed, with a candle that Minnie had told him smelt like Amortentia. Which she had briefly explained was a potion that smells different to every person who smells it. She had lit it on her way out, promising that it wouldn't catch anything on fire. The weird thing about this candle is he couldn't tell what it smelt like. He knew it was really good though. There was also a case there, since he had decided to keep his glasses. She told him they'd be getting him a better pair since he still had to squint with those.

He kept looking, at the end of his bed was a trunk. Minnie had told him that she would be getting him a better one for when he started Hogwarts though. He knew there wasn't much in the trunk, just the chess game that came with it. She said the elves would be putting some of the extra blankets in there if he wanted them too. He was sure he could do it, but after meeting the house-elves, he knew they were more than eager to do it. Putting those thoughts aside he kept looking, the door to his closet. He walked across the room to it, opened it and looked in.

Inside there was rows of shoes, robes hanging in a mass quantity for what he was used to in clothes. There were also a few different coats hanging with them, which had matching gloves and hats hanging on the same hanger. Then the large dresser holding all of the rest of his clothes. He had been confused that day, the words they were using for money. Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts? He knew whatever it was, that all those clothes were expensive. The number for the galleons was high. But Minnie had said something about the growing package which was a lot extra. It meant that she had gotten clothes that will resize themselves for the person wearing the clothes, according the her at least. He had helped pick out the clothes, they were sharp and nice looking. He was excited. He had a room, and clothes, and nice things for once in his life. And a women who tolerates him and buys him stuff out of her own free will! He wasn't particularly sure if she liked him but she seemed to because why else would she take him in and tell him stories?

He walked out of his closet and noticed a door he really hadn't before. He knew that when the house elves were working on the sheets that Minnie had disappeared and then came back a moment later. He opened the door and found a beautiful bathroom. Off to the large open part of the room, was a hundred glittering water taps, each having a small label in front of them. But what was even more surprising was the pool in the middle. Upon inspection he found it wasn't a pool, just a large tub. Each of the taps were different soaps, colors of water, foam and even saw a few labeled with bath robes and towels. He looked around the rest of the bathroom and saw, for what it was, a very pretty toilet. The large sink was just as cool, and the long counter space. He saw different soaps there and the shampoo and conditioners and other things there that they had bought. That's where she must have been when she disappeared. There was a large mirror off to the one side and he was looking at his reflection. Skinny and short was all there was to it. He heard footsteps, so he turned, "I see you found your bathroom." she said.

"My bathroom?" he asked, emphasizing the 'my' part.

"Yes, I have my own! Most of the bigger rooms do." she said. She looked at the tub, it looked just like the prefects' one at Hogwarts. Most of them did in that house. This house had belonged to her great grandmother, Minerva Ross. She got this and decided that she wouldn't use most of it as she was a widow with no children. But having Harry as her ward made her want to use it, so he had a stable place to live. Plus she knew the rooms were big and the entertainment places around the house suits what Harry would want and need. This place had a quidditch pitch, if he is anything like his father that's all he'll need.

The two walked out of the large bathroom together and she lead him up to the top of his room and she sat down on the loveseat and he sat on the armchair across from that. "Now, before we eat lunch I was wondering something. The magical world is a large place with many details, I'll take some of your questions."

"Yes, I was wondering. How does the money work."

"Ahh, right." she said. "5 british pounds is equal to one galleon." she said reaching into her robes. She pulled out a bag and pulled out a gold coin, "This is a galleon. Then," she said pulling out another coin, "This is a sickle, 17 sickles make up a galleon." she said pulling out the final coin, "This is a Knut, 29 knuts make up 1 sickle, or 493 make up a galleon." he nodded in understanding.

Then she held up a sickle, "Sickle." he said.

"How many to make this." she said holding up the gold one.

"17."

She nodded then held up the bronze one, "Knut."

She held up the galleon and the knut, "493." she replaced the galleon with a sickle, "29."

"Good." she said. If he could get it that fast, he'd probably be good in Arithmancy one day.

"Any other questions?"

"Yes, I'd like to know where Sirius is now." he said.

"Azkaban." she said pursing her lips, "Its a wizarding prison."

"Is it a bad place or is it like a muggle prison?"

"One of the worst places, its guarded by dementors." she said. "Which take away happy thoughts, makes the place cold, and have been known to send people, who have been close to one for long periods of time, insane."

Harry frowned, "You said earlier about figuring out what we are going to do this afternoon?" he asked.

"Yes, I was wondering which you'd rather do, go back to Diagon alley and get magical books and things to teach you about the wizarding world or go to the ministry to propose your story." she said.

"Sirius has been in Azkaban." he said slowly trying to get the word right, "For 7 years?"

"Yes." she said.

"Then the ministry." he said. "The longer you are exposed to those things the worse it is yeah?"

"Yes." she said. He nodded, "The ministry then."

She nodded, "Lunch first." then she walked down the stairs, with him quickly following.

* * *

><p>After a delicious lunch, Harry fixed himself up in the large bathroom the best he could before the two set off to the ministry. She brought him to a low ranking person in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. McGonagall explained the situation, then the theory. The lady pulled up the records and found that there was no trial for Sirius. She directed them to Bartemius Crouch Sr telling them he was the one who could do something about it. The two went over there and checked with his assistant, she said he was free for that afternoon and was in there now. They knocked and he told them to enter. The assistant lead the two in and Barty looked at the duo oddly, a juvenile boy and the head of gryffindor house? Was what the boy did that bad? But upon inspection, Barty found that the boy could not be 11 yet, he was far too small.<p>

"What do I own the pleasure, Minerva?"

"Myself and my ward here have discovered that there was no trial for Sirius Black in 1981." she said. "We'd like it fixed."

He looked at them and then he turned around and opened one of the filing cabinets behind his desk. He pulled out the folder labeled 1981 "Find Sirius Black." he said. The papers stayed still.

"Wow." he said. "I'll look into it." he said.

"I happen to know you have a free afternoon Mr. Crouch. There is a man who is potentially a wrongly accused prisoner in Azkaban at this moment and you have no proof that he should be there with no testimony. I expect you to do more than look into it this instant." she said sternly.

He gulped, clearly still being intimidated by the strict woman. He nodded, "I'll send my best team of Aurors to Azkaban to retrieve him for questioning now." he said standing up. "Stay here if you please." the two sat comfortably as he left the room. He came back a few minutes later and sat down at his desk. He looked at Harry skeptically and then saw the place where his hair was parted on his forehead and the thin scar was revealed, "Merlin's beard, it's Harry Potter!" he said.

Minerva had to keep herself from rolling her eyes. "Yes it is."

He swallowed and composed himself. Then nodded, "Sorry for that."

Harry nodded it off, Minerva just kept the stern expression on her face. The three sat in silence for half an hour until the Aurors came back. There were 7 of them, all guarding a man in the middle. Sirius looked at the boy around the guards. He almost collapsed seeing what two people were sitting there. A mini replica of James Potter and the real Minerva McGonagall. Sirius looked at Harry, finally doing the math and recognizing the eyes he figured that it had to be Harry. He was told before he came in though, that he wasn't allowed to talk to them unless asked a direct question.

He decided that since he couldn't say anything, he'd wave. So he did and all 6 of the 7 wands were then pointed at him.

"At ease." the Auror in the front said, "He was just waving, since he can't talk that was as much as he can do upon entering a room."

Sirius nodded.

"Can't talk, or isn't allowed?" Minerva asked, "From what I remember, the hard part was making him stop talking in school."

"Isn't allowed." The auror said with a grim smile. Rufus Scrimgeour (who had yet to become head) was in the back of the group, along with Proudfoot, Savage, Williamson,Kingsley, and Dawlish and Alastor Moody was up front (since he hadn't retired yet).

The aurors moved to various places throughout the room and Moody conjured a chair for Sirius to sit in.

Lots of officials kept exiting and entering the room after that as Barty was setting up a quick mini trial since work at the ministry was slow that day like it had been for a while. Eventually, everyone was escorted into courtroom 10.

Sirius was forced into the chair in the middle as everyone else took their seats. A flustered Cornelius Fudge started the trail. "I Cornelius Oswald Fudge, British Minister for Magic, do hereby start todays trial on Sunday the 24 of January in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighty eight..."

* * *

><p>The trail went well for not having Peter Pettigrew their and his whereabouts were unknown. They used Veritaserum to get the whole story out of Sirius. The Wizengamot easily came to the conclusion that he was innocent with only a handful believing he wasn't.<p>

Harry smiled when they reached their verdict, not only did he have Minnie, but now he had a godfather. Who was, apparently, the closest person to his father. Sirius was lead to a room in the ministry, where he was given back the close he had been wearing when he went into Azkaban and his wand. He was allowed to go to the bathroom and freshen up as much as he could. So that's what he went off to do. He got to the bathroom and stared at the ghost of a man before him in the mirror. "You look like shit." he muttered to himself.

He washed his face off, "That didn't help." he muttered drying his face off again. He cleaned his dirty hands and any exposed skin. Then he fixed up his clothes which were a little small and still had holes and tears from when the street blew up. He walked out of the bathroom, deciding that it wasn't going to get much better than that. He walked back into the small room and found Cornelius Fudge waiting for him. Fudge apologized like there was no tomorrow and informed him that the Wizengamot had made a decision to double whatever the balance of his vault had in it for his suffering.

He thanked him nicely and then Fudge told him he was allowed to leave. He left the room quickly, in search of his favorite professor and his godson. He found them quickly and hugged both of them tightly. McGonagall laughed when Sirius hugged her, "Good to see you Black." she said.

He laughed with a sound he had long since forgotten he could produce. "Even better to see you!" he said. Thats when he looked at Harry and hugged him so hard that Harry was lifted off his feet. "You've grown up a lot kid." he said. "Last I saw you, you could only saw select words, you were really short and really loud." he said.

Harry smiled. "No, actually the very last time I saw you was in a burning house." he frowned, "But the time before that you were attacking your cat while riding a broom." he said. "Not that I blame you, but even I hated that cat."

Harry laughed. Sirius put him back down. "You are an exact replica of James." Sirius said. "'Cept the eyes of course, anyone would be able to recognize Lily Flower's eyes."

Minnie rolled her eyes, Lily always said that she hated it when they called her that. Even though she knew that Lily had secretly enjoyed it. Harry grinned at the new names and stuff. Minnie laid a hand on Harry's shoulder, "Well, I suppose you're hungry." she said looking at Sirius.

"Haven't had a decent meal in 7 years." he said.

"Well, pick a place, my treat." she said.

"You don't have to do that." he said. "I can pay."

"I insist." she said. "You've been rotting in Azkaban! Its time to make you over!" she said. "New clothes, good meals." she said.

He looked at Harry and made a pleading face as if to say, 'Tell her I can do that for myself mini prongs!'

"I think you should do it." he said. "She does really good on makeovers." he said having seen how he looked that morning compared to a week ago when he saw his reflection on a plate he had washed. He looked a lot better after a day with her than he ever had.

Sirius frowned in a defeated way, "Okay Minnie." he said.

Harry grinned. Minerva shook her head, "Your godson calls me the same thing." she said rolling her eyes and walking to the hallway with the closest exit.

He messed up Harry's hair and then the two followed her.

* * *

><p>An emergency daily prophet was printed and sent to every British witch and wizard for free. It was announcing that Sirius Black is innocent and now there is a hunt for Peter Pettigrew. That was the fastest read Daily Prophet in the last 5 years. By the time they arrived in Diagon Alley, everyone knew. Sirius was rushed into Madam Malkin's to get new clothes, McGonagall paid for it before Sirius could even say anything. She got the resizing ones and Sirius noted their was a discount with her total when he added everything up. They were walking out, Sirius in a new set of robes having discarded the torn ones. They went into the Leaky Cauldron, as he chose this place since Sirius remembered how their steak and kidney pies were. He got a butterbeer with it and asked McGonagall if they could get Harry one. She had agreed, happy that he wanted to see the first butterbeer experience Harry had and was including her.<p>

They all sat down in a booth and Sirius ate his food and then gave Harry his butterbeer. "This," he said. "Is the best thing you'll ever drink."

Harry grabbed the glass and glanced at both adults. Minnie nodded him on so he lifted the glass and took a swig. His eyes widened, "Wow." he said, shivering as it went down. Sirius grinned and took a drink of butterbeer, thinking since the first time that he had it, like there was a drink made by the gods. Both of them finished it quickly and the three sat there silently until Sirius said. "Okay, if you didn't find Peter, how did you know I was innocent?" He couldn't take it anymore, he needed to know.

"I was telling Harry about what happened that day and he came up with the theory that it was Peter's fault. He provided a lot of good supporting things for it that it was more believable than the original story. So I took him to the ministry and pointed out that you've never had a trial." she said.

He looked to Harry with raised eyebrows, "In my school we had a lesson on plot twists. We read a story with the same plot line. It wasn't the one in prison it was they guy who was supposed to be dead." he explained.

"School?" he asked.

"Yeah, muggle school." he said glancing at McGonagall when he stopped before saying muggle. She mouthed it for him.

"Why did you send him there?" Sirius asked looking at McGonagall.

"**I** didn't." she said.

"Then who did?"

"Petunia Dursley." she said.

"No." Sirius said shaking his head, "Tell me you weren't left with your aunt and her walrus." he said looking at Harry.

Harry smiled sadly at Sirius joke, then nodded. Sirius growled, "Whose ruddy decision was that?" he said. "Everyone who knew Lily knew she wasn't on any good terms with her sister!"

"Albus thought it'd be best to leave him under blood wards, the only blood he had was Petunia." she said.

Sirius scowled, "That man will be lucky if he can explain that one without getting hexed into next year."

Harry watched with interest. Blood wards? Hexes? His mom wasn't on good terms with his aunt? Actually, he'd figured that on his own.

"How long have you had him?" he asked.

"Not even a day." she said.

Sirius glanced at Harry. "I'll take him."

"You most certainly will not!" she said. "You don't have a place to live!" she said.

"I have Grimmauld Place." he pointed out.

"Yes, and it's riddled with Dark Magic." she said. "Meaning both of you will be at my place. I'll get a room for you ready, you and Harry take this and go pick out things for it. Harry, you can tell him what all the rooms look like and telling him what he'll need. Floo name is 'McGonagall Manor' have fun." she said handing over her money pouch, which connected with her bank account that was actually quite extensive.

Harry nodded, glad he was able to spend time with his godfather. "Come on pup." he said. Harry grinned at the nickname he just got.

* * *

><p>Minerva looked around the empty room next to Harry's room. She fixed it all up and then walked into Harry's room. She sat down on his bed then looked around. It was truly a nice room, especially considering a 7 year old boy picked it all out. She looked at the lone corner of the room and then to the empty bookshelves. She decided she needed to get something for him to fill them up. She stood up, a pet would be suitable. An owl, since he'd need one for Hogwarts, is what she decided to get him. She left the room and went down to the main sitting room. She flooed to Diagon Alley again. She went to Flourish and Blotts quickly even though she knew that Harry and Sirius were going to be so far down the alley that they wouldn't be able to see her. She got a copy of every standard book he'd need for all 7 years at Hogwarts. Then all the books for the classes he could pick in 3rd year. She paid for them and put them in a bottomless bag. Then she walked out and to Eeylops Owl Emporium. She found that they had gotten a bunch of baby owls and she decided she'd get the smallest owl they had. A baby snowy owl who was already very affectionate. She paid for it, a big cage and a perch. The guy threw in a bunch of Owl food for her. She thanked the man and walked out.<p>

She then went down the alley and in between two shops that conveniently had enough room for a person. But most would never think of going back there it looked like a creepy alleyway. She knew what was back there though and she knew she was going back there. She slipped in and walked down the really dark alley and it cleared around the corner. 'Antiquis liber taberna' was written on the old door. Which she knew translated into 'Old book shop'. She knew that there were select people in the world who were aware of this shop. She had found out about it on accident. She had read it on a note in Albus' office long ago and since then she's been checking in to see the books. No one actually worked there because of the select number of people to know of it. There was just charms set up to make sure they paid for the books they walked out with. She found an animagus book that she had read without Albus' knowledge when he taught her to become an animagus. She never actually bought it but this time she was. She grabbed that book, rare history books, family history books, the 'complete list of upcoming witches and wizards' which was just like the one at Hogwarts to tell you who was going to Hogwarts. Except this one was bigger and it went up to witches and wizards that were still living. It had all of them and the names disappeared if they died. She figured it was a cool book for Harry, so she continued getting books. Old potion books with rare potions, old hexes and spells, helpful spells, and books full of secrets about the wizarding world and about spells. That was a whole collection of 12 books. She looked around the small shop. It wasn't many books actually. She waved her wand and all the books went in her bag. She put the correct amount of money in the jar that had counted out how much it would be. She had just bought the whole store. She left more money and took the book shelves too. She knew by doing this the whole store would make itself disappear when she walked out. She looked around and then walked out having shrunk the shelves down and put them in her bag with the books. She watched the store disappear behind her and then walked away with the owl and her bag. She flooed back to her house and went up to Harry's room. She set the perch up and took the owl out that was no bigger than a goblet, and sat it down on the perch. It hooted as she then walked to the top of his room and put up two more of the matching bookshelves from the store. She put the helpful books she'd gotten from there on it and on the bookshelf already up there, she put the school books on it. Then she went to the main level and put the other helpful books from Flourish and Blotts on those. She fed the owl and walked out of the room. She went to her personal library and copied books she knew she had in there and brought the copies to Harry's room. That left him half a shelf for him to fill up.

She walked back out of the room in time to hear laughter coming up the stairs. "And then we flew off, you should have seen their faces!" Sirius was saying, "It was like they'd seen a ghost."

Harry laughed and Sirius joined in. They reached the top of the stairs and saw Minnie waiting. She pointed to the room next to Harry's and the two went in. She summoned the house elves and they sat up the room for them. "Perfect." Sirius said giving high fives to the elves. They all left the room again and Minnie watched as Harry said, "Come on! I want to show you my room." he said. He drug Sirius to his room, then he opened the door and pushed Sirius. "There is no way you designed this yourself." he said.

"He did actually." Minnie said. Harry walked in and the owl hooted, alerting him of her presence.

"Well that's where that went." Sirius laughed.

"What?" McGonagall asked.

"On our way down the alley that little bird caught Harry's eye from the window. On our way back, it was gone." he said.

"So you like that one?" she asked.

Harry nodded as he petted the owl's head. Then he noticed the shelves were almost all full. He grinned, "No way." he said. Then he looked at McGonagall, "Thank you!" he said. He browsed the titles and pulled out a book. "_Modern Magical History_." he said.

"You are in that one." she said.

He raised his eyebrows, put it back on the shelf and tried the next one, "_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_." he said.

"That one too." she said.

"How about _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_?" he asked.

"Yes, you have a whole chapter in there." she said.

He shook his head, "This is crazy, my name is in these books?" he asked looking at the three next to him.

"You're famous." she said.

He put the books back on the shelf and looked over to Minnie, "What about the other bookshelf?" he asked, talking about the one upstairs.

"Filled it and got more shelves that I filled as well." she said. He grinned and then ran up the 'hidden' stairs. He ran up and a loud "Wow." was heard.

Sirius peered over to where he had disappeared. He saw the stairs there and went up, Minnie following him. Harry was at the new bookshelves looking at books. He pulled out the animagus book. "Woah." he said looking through it. "Between the both of us I don't think it would be to hard to teach you." she said seeing what book it was. Sirius looked at the title, "I've never heard of this book." he concluded.

"I know, it is a very rare book. If you would have come to your head of house, I would have shared the book with you but you never did." she said. "It makes learning to transform short and simple."

"Oh." he said.

She nodded while rolling her eyes. "You'll need your wand first but I suppose that can wait for tomorrow." she said heading for the stairs. "I'll see you at dinner." then she was gone. Harry looked over the balcony and saw her leave the room. He turned around and saw Sirius looking around, "This is a very very nice room." he said.

Harry smiled. "Thanks." he said.

"No problem pup." he said.

Harry went over and sat down in an armchair. "Can you tell me more about you and dad?"

"Sure pup." he said.

"Now there was this one time with Remus-"

"Wait." Harry interrupted. "Remus." he said.

Sirius nodded. "He knows you're innocent and probably can't find you. Don't you think he might be trying? I mean he thought you were the reason all his friends were dead, now he's proven wrong and probably trying to look for you to make it up to you?"

Sirius blinked, "You are so your mother's kid, a genius you are." he said.

Harry smiled, "We'll arrange something later." he said.

* * *

><p>Minerva sat down in her chair satisfied. In a week she goes from never being in this house and being alone to being in the house with 2 other people. She shook her head, she wasn't sure what to think about those two together. She was going to try to get the Lily to be prominent in him, and she knows Sirius is going to get the James out first.<p>

She sipped her tea and looked around her half empty room. She reflected back on her life. She wasn't sure if she regretted anything. She wasn't even sure if she regretted not having children of her own. Having Harry there made her feel like a mother, something she didn't usually experience considering she was a teacher. Which was around loads of children, but him, she felt as though she owed it to him. She could have done more to stop Albus from making him suffer at the Dursleys, she could have checked up on him, or she could have taken him that night he lost everything. She could have done something. **Anything.**

She decided that's what she'd do now. Anything it took to make him happy. 'Tomorrow, I'll look through his age group in the Hogwarts book at school. Find him some friends.' she thought.


End file.
